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It is evident from the title of the sermon, that we are going to consider the "will." The word will
is an interesting word. It is spelled the same whether it is used in the present indicitive singular, or
the first and third person. If it is used in the archaic it is "wilt" as we often find it in the Bible. It
may be used in the sense of being interchangable with "shall," or it may be what we determine as
with a last will and testiment. It may mean the poser of the mind as with a strong willed person and
it may be used as the act of doing something such as when a person wills to live. Or it may be used
as we are going to use it - a wish or desire as when our Lord said "thy will be done."
In the Bible, most of the time the last definition is used. At times it may refer to the will as
determined, while at other times it may be things permitted or allowed to happen. God has a
determinate will. He has determined that His people would be saved through Jesus Christ and it is
going to happen because He is God and able to do all He determines. For example, He does His will
and none are able to stop Him (Daniel 4:35). In the New Testament we are told that He worketh all
things after His own will (Ephesians 1:11). Then there are times that though it is not His expressed
will, He will allow things to happen. This may be referred to His suffering or permitting will. He
does not desire or will sin, but He does allow it to occur. Jesus said to John the Baptist, "Suffer it
to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fufill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15). He also said to the
disciples, "Suffer the litle children to come unto me." He also would not suffer or allow anyone to
carry a vessel in the temple (Mark 11:16). There are many things we do that are not in harmony with
His expressed will, but He allows us as His children to do them. The same is true with us, at times
we express dogmatically our will and refuse to change our minds. At other times our children may
prevail upon us to allow them to do something and we allow it.
There are a great many scriptures in the Bible that deal with the will. They address both the will
of God and the will of man. Thus words are used to denote the will such as "thy" will and "my" will.
Notice both usages in Matthew 26:39. Jesus came to do the will of God according to Hebrews 10:7,
He said "I came to do THY will." We also pray that way as we pray the Lord's Prayer (Matthew
6:10). There is also the references of God referring to "My will" (Acts 13:22). Therefore, we have
God's will and our will. The text deals with us doing God's will, but it also shows that it can actually
be OUR will too. If we are willing, then we do His will by making it our will. It is indeed a blessing
when we make His will our will and are willing to do things His way.
The Bible tells us what we are to do about our faith, to walk by faith and by faith to work (James
2:17). It tells us what we are to do about obedience to His will in the church, that we are not to
forsake and to be faithful (Revelation 2:10). He tells us what to do about our families, how we are
to bring up our children in the nurture and admonition of God (Ephesians 6:4). The Bible tells us
that we are to love one another (John 15:12) and pray for each other (James 5:16)and forgive
(Ephesians 4:32). If only we will study the Bible and learn God's will and then make it our will, we
will be a willing people.
This message is not to coin a new phrase,but when God's will goes in one direction and man's
will goes in another direction, that is called a cross. On the other had when God's will and our will
goes in harmony with each other, that is ply-will. Plywood is building material made of several thin
layers of wood, glued together to form a board. It is relatively strong and light and is used for many
purposes. Even so, when God's will and our will is toether and in harmony, things can be built and
much progress is made. Since God's will is always flawless and perfect, the obvious conclusion is
that we must bring our will into alignment with His will. HIS will and MY will is called PLYWILL.
May this be our daily prayer, "Lord make thy will be my will and by ply -will, we will enjoy the
blessings of God." On the other side is judgment and heartache. It is really a matter of what we want
out of life and how we want to live life. The joy side is in ply-will, so let us committ ourselves to
serve the Lord from the heart (Ephesians 6:6).
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